Dunedin-Palm Harbor Post 2550-Newsletter

Restaurants

Abuelo’s Mexican Food - Abuelo’s offerings vary by region, be sure to call ahead to see what the discounts or freebies are included.

Applebees - All veterans and active duty military eat free from a limited menu at Applebee’s on Veterans Day.

Chili’s — Veterans and active duty dine for free from a special limited six item menu on Veterans Day.

Golden Corral — Golden Corral Restaurants’ Military Appreciation Monday free dinner will be available on November 15, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Military retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserves are all welcome.

Hooters — All Veterans and active duty eat free. The free entrees must be selected from a special Veterans Day menu.

Krispy Kreme – All active-duty, retirees & veterans get a free doughnut on Veterans Day. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants — Participating McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants offer a complimentary entree to vets from a special menu on a space available basis, online reservations are highly recommended.

Outback Steakhouse — Veterans and active-duty military get a complimentary Bloomin’ Onion and non-alcoholic beverage on Veterans Day.

UNO Chicago Grill — UNO is offering a Buy One Get One free offer to Service members or Veterans with a military or veteran I.D. or in uniform or with a photo of themselves in uniform. The Veterans Day BOGO offer includes a free entree or individual pizza, with the purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value.

Texas Roadhouse – Free meal from opening until 4pm. on Veterans Day. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information.

T.G.I. Friday’s – Veterans and Service members Buy one get one free from Nov 11–14. Contact your nearest location for more details on their Veterans Day BOGO offer.

by Talk Walker

The Marine Corps personnel stationed at North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune between 1957 and 1987 are aware of the severe health issues that may have resulted from using contaminated well water that contained carcinogens. Until this week, the VFW was a strong advocate of the “Caring for Camp Lejeune Veterans Act of 2011 (S. 277),” which the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee (SVAC) passed recently to provide VA healthcare to assigned Marines, their families and veterans. Now we have learned that SVAC changed the bill — without public notice or hearing — to fund the care it would provide through the elimination of federal subsidies for military commissaries, and by directing the military exchange system to consolidate with the Defense Commissary Agency. The VFW can no longer support S. 277 because the new proposal threatens the existence of the commissary and exchange systems. We ask that you urge your senators to reject S. 277. If additional funding is needed, then SVAC should request it through the traditional legislative process, and not attempt to obtain funding from a federal department over which it has no jurisdiction. Contact your senators today. (Click Contact to link with your senator.) Protect the rights and benefits of Servicemen and their Families.

Contact your Post Service Officer with any questions.

Good morning,” Dawn Jirak answered the phone at the VFW office.

“Thank you,” the voice on the other end said with great relief. “Thank you.”Jirak, VFW Assistant Director of Veterans Health Policy and Air Force veteran, didn’t need to ask the caller’s name. She knew immediately. It was Army veteran Gene Huston.

“When I went to bed, I had six dollars in my bank account,” he said. “Today, my balance is $78,000 and six dollars!”

For Huston, it was a long journey to this day, one riddled with frustration and government delays.

Huston joined the Army at age 20 as his mother was dying of cancer. Wrought with grief, Huston spent his years in Vietnam fighting the enemy and excelling at it. Those dark experiences have haunted him every day since.

“I returned from Vietnam a different person. I tried to drown myself in alcohol. I had three failed marriages. I’ve had the same repetitive nightmare for 40 years. I just can’t escape the mental shrapnel I took in Vietnam.”

More troubles started when he was notified that the Department of Veterans Affairs was unexpectedly rescinding the majority of his benefits.

He turned to VFW in 2008 to appeal the decision that took away his grant of unemployability, reduced his disability for PTSD and denied service connection for hypertension and heart disease.

“It was a major blow. With a single letter, I was reduced to poverty. I couldn’t afford running water or sewer services. I ate tuna five nights a week. I just couldn’t believe what was happening,” he shared.

After the VFW demonstrated that Huston was rightfully entitled to those benefits, his rating decision was adjusted accordingly in February 2011—a major victory. (The VA asked for additional information about the hypertension and heart disease.)

Then the waiting began. Week after week, he would check his mail.  Meanwhile, his financial and health problems were mounting. Huston didn’t understand what was happening—he felt lost in the system after waiting for benefits he should have received right away.

“At one point, I really thought they [the VA] just hoped I would die waiting,” Huston said.

Jirak wasn’t going to stand for it. After digging deeper, she discovered the VA had put his entire case on hold.

“We insisted that the error be corrected immediately,” she said. “And within a few weeks, it was.”

With the correction made, Huston received the $78,000 retroactive award. He is now also receiving a monthly payment to cover living expenses.

“I think I’ll buy a new pair of tennis shoes,” Huston said, when asked what he might do with the retroactive payment, “or take a trip to see my buddies from Vietnam.”
“It’s been a long road,” Huston said tearfully. “but my advocates at VFW, they get a gold star. They stood by me, along with my partner in life, Jackie.”

“I was happy to help,” said Jirak. “If VFW wasn’t here, veterans like Gene might just fall through the cracks. I never want to see that happen.”

 See your Service Officer for Assistance.

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of five Army Air Forces servicemen, missing in action from World War II, have been identified and returned to their families for burial with full military honors. 

Captain Leonard E. Orcutt, of Alameda, California, was buried on May 5 in Oakland, California, TSgt. Louis H. Miller of Philadelphia, was buried on June 17 in Arlington National Cemetery.  SSgt. George L. Winkler of Huntington, West Virginia, was buried May 5 in Arlington National Cemetery.  2nd Lt. Harry L. Bedard of Minneapolis will be buried on June 25 in Dayton, Minnesota. 2nd Lt. Robert S. Emerson of Norway, Maine, will be buried there on July 9.

Scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) used dental comparisons and mitochondrial DNA, to identify these airmen. 

At the end of the war, the U.S. government was unable to recover and identify approximately 79,000 Americans.  Today, more than 73,000 GI’s  from WWII are still unaccounted for.

‘It is inexcusable for security equipment and incident reporting procedures to be so broken…‘

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is outraged by news that America’s disabled veterans could become a victim of sexual assault when they visit a Department of Veterans Affairs facility.   

According to a report released yesterday by the Government Accountability Office, 284 alleged assaults occurred at the VA between January 2007 and July 2010.  Included were 67 rapes, 185 cases of inappropriate touching, and other assaults between patients against patients, patients against staff, and staff against patients.   

“It is inexcusable for security equipment and incident reporting procedures to be so broken that patients and staff alike may fear for their personal safety,” said VFW National Commander Richard L. Eubank, a retired Marine and Vietnam combat veteran from Eugene, Oregon. 

“What matters now is for the VA to immediately clean its own house and to hold everyone accountable for their actions,” he said.  “We have far too many veterans — especially women veterans — who need the VA to be a place of healing and not a threat.” 

The GAO report was based on visits to 5 of the VA’s 152 medical centers, and interviews with only 4 of their 21 Veterans Integrated Service Networks. This led House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (D-Fla.) to ask “How widespread is this problem?” 

The VFW national commander fully agrees, and now expects Congress to increase its oversight of the matter through more hearings and legislation, such as H.R. 2074, introduced by Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-N.Y.). 

“All veterans and employees need to be treated with the utmost respect in every facility,” said Eubank.  “This is a zero tolerance issue, and nothing less is acceptable to the VFW.” 

To read the full GAO report, entitled “VA Health Care: Actions Needed to Prevent Sexual Assaults and Other Safety Incidents,” go to http://www.gao.gov/. 

by Talk Walker

An extra loyal Georgia woman named Nancy Hart, during the Revolutionary War captured a group of British officers. They had wrung her best turkey’s neck and compelled her to cook it for them.  They stacked rifles and sat down to enjoy the repast.  They looked up and were surprised to see Nancy with one of their own rifles at her shoulder, standing between them and their weapons, coolly demanding not only their unconditional surrender, but forbidding them to touch her turkey. Owing to the distorted optics of Nancy, who had cross-eyes, each chagrined and discomfited officer supposed she had drawn bead directly on him. One foolhardy red-coat bit the dust, and the rest were hanged as soon as assistance arrived.

When a military family of seven hit rock bottom, VFW was there to cushion the fall.

“We prayed every night that our electricity and heat wouldn’t be turned off during the winter months. We were afraid we’d be thrown out onto the streets … forced to live in our car. We had no one,” said Amy Perez, wife of Sgt. Alexis Perez, 10-year military member.

Sgt. Perez incurred several injuries during his final, two-year-long deployment to Iraq. In three separate incidents, Sgt. Perez suffered five slipped disks, a broken ankle, fractured foot and shin, permanent hearing loss, severe memory loss and Post Traumatic Stress.

“There were times when my husband couldn’t remember our oldest daughter’s name,” said Amy.

In the face of severe pain and mental turmoil, Perez continued to serve his country, which he did without proper medical attention. It wasn’t until a bullet grazed his head and sent him tumbling down a cement tower, that the military took notice and medically retired Perez.

Newly retired, Perez was given a mere three weeks to leave military housing and relocate with his wife and five children.

“We did okay the first three months,” said Amy, “but by then our savings was used up and my husband’s benefits never came. Each month, we prayed the money would come through, but we just got further and further behind.”

Given the extent of Perez’s injuries, Amy was forced to quit her job and care for him full-time. Suddenly two incomes became none.

As times got tougher, the Perez children—who changed schools for the third time in three years due to military housing issues—began to feel the pressure.

“I couldn’t buy my children clothes or school supplies. I couldn’t even give them a proper birthday party,” said Amy. “And the kids at school were cruel, harassing my kids and calling them ‘poor’. It really took a toll on them.”

It was almost Christmas last year when Amy found the help her family needed.

“I searched countless websites looking for help for military families, and finally found VFW.”

After submitting an application for assistance, Amy received a $2,500 grant from VFW Unmet Needs. The grant covered past due rent and utilities.

“Because of the grant, we kept our home and made it through to March, when Alexis’ benefits were finally granted,” said Amy.

Amy is grateful for all the supporters that make this grant available to families in need.

“Because of these generous people, we are happy, healthier and working hard to get back to normal,” Amy concluded.

by Gold Legacy

Election of Post Officers for 2011-2012 was held April 19, 2011.  The new officers are as follows:

Post Commander- “Dutch” Grubbs

Senior vice Commander- Larry Spanish

Junior vice Commander- Alan Roman

Quartermaster- Jim Shaw

Chaplain- “Lance” Bliss

Judge Advocate- “Bill” Goshen

3 Year Trustee- George Urbanick

The Surgeon position is still open.  Interested parties should contact the Commander.

May the new officers have a successful year.

 Go to Photos for pictures.

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the VFW,
Telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And ‘tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we’ll hear his tales no longer,
For ol’ Bob has passed away,
And the world’s a little poorer
For a Sailor died today.

He won’t be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won’t note his passing,
‘Tho a Sailor died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young
But the passing of a Sailor
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician’s stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Sailor,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and their ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever waffling stand?

Or would you want a Sailor–
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Sailor,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Sailor,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Sailor’s part
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he’s here to hear the praise,
Then at least let’s give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:

“OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A SAILOR DIED TODAY.”

Applications are now being accepted through May 15 for the ThanksUSA military family scholarship program, which is open to dependent children and spouses of active, Guard and Reserve families, as well as the families of those killed or wounded-in-action. This is a great opportunity.  Pass the information on.

Click here, to apply or for more information.

See your Post Service Officer for more information.